Apparatus for washing minerals.



mnonns. APPARATUS FOR WASHING MINERALS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1912.-

Patented Mar. 24, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

MHZ 5855 /77 TOR/V1575 LOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN co..WAsmNh1oN. o. c.

J. DODDS.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING MINERALS.

ArrLtoAnon FILED AUG. 19, 1912.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. DODDS. APPARATUS POBWASHING MINERALS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 19,1912. 1,09 1 ,047. Patented Mar. 24, 1914 3SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/ Vf/VTOR non/5555 couulllA mm" co.,wummou. D. C. v

JOSEPH DODDS, OF RUTHERGLEN, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

FFKCE.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING MINERALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

Application filed August 19, 1912. Serial No. 715,699.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J osnrrr Donns, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residing at Rutherglen, Glasgow, Scotland,have in vented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Washing Minerals,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for separating, bywashing, materials of different specific gravities.

The invention is specially designed for separating coal from dirt andshale, for washing ores of the precious metals and for separating ortreating other ores and minerals by washing.

Under this invention, which is a development of my prior invention No.998,163 dated 18th July, 1911, I improve the washing apparatus so thatit can deal with large quantities of materials on a small consumption ofwater which does not require to be under pressure as formerly. To thisend the water, which may be supplied at the center of the machine, isdrawn downward and then forced upward through the per forations of therotating table by the action of mechanical means, such as a propeller orequivalent. The apparatus is constructed so that in operation there is acomplete circulation of water therethrough thereby enabling the samewater to be used repeatedly and economizing its consumption which is animportant matter when dealing with large quantities of materials. Theconstruc tion of the apparatus is also otherwise improved. V

In order that the invention may be clearly understood I have hereuntoappended ex: planatory drawings which show, by way of illustration orexample, an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section and Fig. 2 is a plan of theapparatus. Fig. 3 is a part section on the line 3, 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa part section on the line 4:, 4:, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a part section onthe line 5, 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a part section on the line 6, 6, Fig 2.Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of the apparatus.

On the drawings the same reference characters indicate the same orsimilar parts.

The apparatus, as adapted for washing coal or such like, is preferablymade as follows :--I provide a vessel or tank a, preferably of circularshape, whose base has a raised center surrounded by an annular channeland whose sides are parallel from the top to a certain depth and fromthence slope inward and terminate in the said annular channel. Theformation of the base and sides may be obtained by constructing thevessel itself of the desired shape or by lining the interior of acylindrical vessel with cement or other suitable material or by fittingtherein a false bottom and sides of sheet metal. Depending centrallyinto the vessel a is a vertical hollow sleeve Z2 which is carried in abearing 9 supported on the cross beam 79, this sleeve being rotatedthrough suitable gearing, and concentrio with this sleeve and rigidlysecured to it, by arms Z), is a hollow drum 0 of sheet metal extendingfrom near the top, of the outer vessel 4 to about the level of theraised center of the base. The lower end of this drum 0 is slightlybell-mouthed and the upper end is perforated or constructed of suitablewire gauze or netting. Attached to the outside of this drum so as torevolve with it, is an annular table (5 constructed of wire netting orperforated metal and whose eX- ternal diameter is slightly less than theinternal diameter of the vessel a. Passing through the aforesaid sleeveb is a shaft 6 whichis rotated through suitable gearing so that itrevolves in the same direction as the sleeve 6 but at a greater speed.This shaft carries a screw-propeller f of ordinary formation whosediameter is slightly less than the internal diameter of the drum 0. Thispropeller is situated at or about the bottom of the said drum, '5. 6.just above the raised center of the base of the vessel a and its shaft 6is provided with a collar 9 which bears against the lower end of thehollow sleeve Z) thus allowing the thrust from the propeller to becarried by the body of the apparatus.

Arranged above the drum 0, so as to dis charge into the interiorthereof, is a water pipe h which is provided with a controlling cook orvalve (not shown). At or about the level of the table a? is an openingor port 2' (Fig. 3) through which the dirt or shale from the coal passesfrom the vessel a to the passages 71 and i and thence to the shaleelevator casing j.

2' (Fig. 5) is an opening for the passage, from the vessel a, of thefine dirt and shale whichfinds its way through the perforations of thetable d. This opening also discharo'es into the shale elevator casing jfrom whici the dirt and shale is removed by the elevator j At a suitablepart of the vessel a, at or near the top thereof, and extending downwardto within a short distance of the table d, is an outlet 70 through whichthe coal and overflow water pass into a channel Z2 which conveys them toa coal elevator casing Z from which the coal is removed by the elevatorZ m is a sliding gate fitted to the vessel a immediately below theoutlet It so that, when materials of light specific gravity are to bewashed, it may he slid upward in the guides m thus raising the bottom ofthe outlet is farther above the perforated table (Z.

Arranged above the table (Z and so as to communicate between the vessela and the coal elevator casing Z, is an opening (or openings) at (Fig.4) fitted with a number of outwardly projecting guides or sweeps n andthrough which the water that passes into the coal elevator casing Z withthe coal is guided back to the vessel a, and, in order that none of thecoal may return with the water, a screen or partition 0 which may bemade of wire netting or the like, is provided between the said opening(or openings) n and coal elevator casing Z. The coal and shale elevatorsare driven by the same shaft at the same speed but the coal elevator ismuch larger than the shale elevator.

For retarding the rotary motion of the coal in the washer, in order togive the water time thoroughly to wash the same, there is or may befitted to the beams 72 depending pins 9 (Fig. 6) arranged in rowsextending down to within a shortdistance of the perforated table 0?. Thepins of one row are arranged so as to be opposite the spaces between thepins of the adjacent rows. The pins are suitably arranged to suit thesize of coal being washed.

To facilitate the cleaning of the apparatus or for inspection purposes,hand-hole openings such as r, are provided at suitable places, in thedrum a. These holes are of course provided with covers.

The apparatus may be employed singly or as one of a series, according tothe material to be washed.

In operation, the coal to be washed is placed upon the table 62 andwater is admitted at the inlet h and is projected, by the rapidlyrevolving propeller f downward on to the curved base and then upward,alongthe slopingsides, through the perforated table cl. The dirt andshale in the coal tend to sink and rest upon the table d I but theagitation caused by the rising water and the action of the propeller fprevents the dirt choking the perforations. The dirt moves outward bycentrifugal ac tion and passes away from the vessel (2 through theopening 2' and channels 2" and i into the shale elevator casing 7' fromwhence it is removed from the apparatus by the elevator j any dirtfinding its way through the perforations of the table (Z being passedout through the opening while the coal, which is lighter, floats on oris held suspended in the water and passes out through the water and coaloutlet 71: and is conveyed by the channel Is to the coal elevator casingZ and is removed therefrom by the elevator Z while the water, passesthrough and under the partition 0 and is guided through the opening 7%,back to the vessel a, by the guides or sweeps 12, During the aboveoperations a current of water is caused, by the propeller, to circulatedownward through the revolving drum and then upward through therevolving table.

In the modified arrangement illustrated at Fig. 7 the interior of thevessel (19 has formed therein a number (preferably three) of cavities orchannels a so arranged and situated that, when the apparatus is inoperation, the large stones or shale, which are forced outward in thetable (Z by centrifugal action, can pass off said table, at the placesat which said cavities a are situated and pass downward into the base ofthe vessel a and away therefrom through chutes a into the elevatorcasing from which they are removed by the elevator j Having now fullydescribed my invention what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is 1. Apparatus for washing minerals comprising in combination, astationary vessel, a hollow drum rotatably mounted therein, means forrotating said drum, a perforated table attached to said drum so as torotate therewith, a propeller rotatably mounted within said drum, andmeans for rotating the same.

2. Apparatus for washing minerals comprising, in combination, astationary vessel, a hollow drum rotatably mounted therein, means forrotating said drum, a perforated table attached to said drum so as torotate therewith, a propeller rotatably mounted within said drum, andmeans for rotating the same at a speed greater than the speed of saiddrum.

3. Apparatus for washing minerals comperforations at the upper endthereof secured to said hollow shaft and a perforated table secured tosaid hollow drum.

5. Apparatus for washing mineralscomprising, in combination, astationary vessel, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted therein, a propellershaft rotatably mounted within said hollow shaft, a hollow drum having abell-mouthed lower end secured to said hollow shaft, and a perforatedtable secured to said hollow drum.

6. Apparatus for washing minerals comprising, in combination, astationary vessel partly cylindrical and partly conical and made with acentrallyraised bottom, a hollow drum rotatably mounted therein, meansfor rotating said drum, a perforated table attached to said drum, apropeller rotatably mounted within said drum and means for rotating thesame.

7. Apparatus for washing minerals comprising, in combination, astationary vessel partly cylindrical and partly conical and having aplurality of channels therein and a centrally raised bottom, a hollowdrum rotatably mounted therein, means for rotating said drum, aperforated table attached to said drum, a propeller rotatably mountedwithin said drum and means for rotating the same.

8. Apparatus for washing minerals comprising, in combination, astationary vessel, a hollow drum rotatably mounted therein, means forrotating said drum, a perforated table attached to said drum so as torotate therewith, a propeller rotatably mounted within said drum, meansfor rotating the same, a mineral elevator casing, a passagecommunicating with said stationary vessel and said elevator casing, anda mineral elevator within said casing.

9. An apparatus for washing minerals comprising, in combination, astationary vessel, a hollow drum rotatably mounted therein, means forrotating said drum, a perforated table attached to said drum so as torotate therewith, a propeller rotatably mounted within said drum, meansfor rotating the same, a mineral elevator casing, a plurality of guides,and a screen within said casing.

10. An apparatus for washing minerals comprising, in combination, astationary vessel, a hollow drum rotatably mounted therein, means forrotating said drum, a perforated table attached to said drum so as torotate therewith, a propeller attached to said drum so as to rotatetherewith, a propeller rotatably mounted within said drum, means forrotating the same, a mineral elevator casing, an elevator therein, ashale elevator casing and an elevator within said casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH DODDSJ Witnesses:

WILLIAM FLEMING, ANNIE LIND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

